A FIRE engine was hit by a car as it left Basildon fire station on its way to an emergency call-out.

Two fire engines were dispatched from the fire station in Great Oaks at about 5.30pm on Monday to attend an incident just 150 metres away, when the car smashed into the side of one of the engines.

Firefighters had been called to an emergency in North Gunnels, a turning further down the same road, when the incident occurred.

An Essex County Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “We can confirm that a collision involving a fire engine from Basildon fire station occurred.

“Insurance details were immediately exchanged with the driver of the other vehicle involved.

No one was injured as a result of the collision.”

A woman and child were travelling inside the car and were said to be shaken. The second fire engine continued to the scene of the initial emergency.

Eyewitness, Jamie Baldock, 28, from Basildon, said: “The fire engine had its lights and sirens going.

“I could hear them from when it was still in the station.

“They were about to turn the corner when the fire engine and silver car collided with the car striking the front tyre of the fire engine.

“They shouldn’t have been that close, one of them needed to have pulled over and be left plenty of room.

“I jumped out of my car to go make sure everyone close by was OK.

“All the fire fighters got out and made sure everyone was OK in the car.

“It was a very unfortunate accident.

“Luckily no one was hurt, thank God.”

This is the third crash involving a fire engine and a car so close to the fire station in the last six years.

In March 2016, a woman in her forties was taken to hospital after her Mini collided with a fire engine at the junction of Broadmayne and Great Oaks.

In 2011 a woman died after she was involved in a crash with a fire engine on its way to another emergency.

Two engines, had been on their way to the accident further down Broadmayne.

Martha Gakonde, 39, from Wythefield, Basildon, was driving her gold Toyota Yaris along Broadmayne, Basildon, towards Pitsea when she collided with the fire engine just yards from the fire station.